“Don’t you know, Ryan? You’re already a standout in my eyes.”
Mischief sparkled in his eyes. “Now you’re just trying to get in my pants.”
“Is it working?”
He nodded and grabbed our drinks. “All damn day. Every damn day.”
His words sent another wave of desire through me and my feet paused where they stood. How was it that I was so turned on by him, and all the time? This was Ryan, my best friend, the one man I’d seen close to naked millions of times over the years.
“Something wrong?”
“No. Yes.” I shrugged and joined him at one of the tall tables. “Isn’t it weird to be so turned on all the time? To want to ravish each other so much when this is all so new?”
“Not to me. I’ve lived with wanting you for a while, Persephone.”
“How long?”
He shrugged. “Does it matter?”
“It does to me.”
“Don’t even think it,” he growled, his gaze narrowed to slits. “Don’t even think that shit for one second, Persephone.”
“What?” I blinked, taken aback at the fierceness of his tone.
“That I’ve been playing the long game or pretending to be your friend just so I could get close to you. We’re friends. We always have been, and we always will be the very best of friends. Somewhere along the way, my feelings for you grew. A lot.”
“You never said anything.”
“Because, like you, I was worried that if you didn’t feel the same way, it would change things between us and I didn’t want to lose you.”
“And now you don’t mind losing me?”
He barked out another laugh and finished his soda. “Hardly. Now the want is just too great to deny myself the chance to make you mine. I’m old enough and wise enough to find a way to keep you forever, even if we go back to being just friends.” Ryan stood and nodded toward my drink. “And now that I know how much you want me, too, I figure we’ve got a damn good chance of taking this all the way.”
I laughed and shook my head. “We’ve already gone all the way, Ryan.”
“You’re cute when you cover nerves with dirty humor.”
“Cute? What am I, a puppy?” No woman wanted to be called cute, not even the ones who were cute, dammit.
“Nope. Puppies are all exuberant in their cuteness, you’re adorable when you don’t know what to do with your emotions. I love it.” At my shocked expression, Ryan kissed my cheek and grabbed my hand. “Let’s get some photos and video of you throwing the axes. Titus will love it.”
My heart clenched once again in desire—not because Ryan was big and sexy and ripped, but because he was so damn sweet when it came to Titus. This man who wanted to be mine always thought of my little boy as if he were his own flesh and blood. More than his father ever thought of him, anyway. It was even more intoxicating when combined with all the other things I loved about him.
He was slowly, but surely, finding his way into the little romance compartment I’d locked and sealed up years ago. “You’re pretty great, Ryan. As a man, and a date.”
“Yeah? Coming from you, that means a lot.” He kissed my other cheek. “Now, give me a pouty smile.”
“For Titus?”
Ryan laughed. “Sure, for Titus. Let’s go with that.”
We shared another laugh because what else was a girl supposed to do when she got to spend a fun night out, feeling like a woman, while being with her best friend in the whole world? I never knew it could be like this and I had to pump the brakes on my intensifying emotions. It was still early days, this time next week things could be totally different.
“You don’t have to walk me to my door,” I told him with a laugh. “We’re neighbors.”
“I’m a gentleman, dammit,” he growled and took my hand. “And I’m trying to show you how precious you are to me, Persephone.”
“I already know, but it’s nice to hear it once in a while.” I brushed a soft kiss to his lips at the bottom of the steps and pulled back with a sigh. “Thank you.”
“Thank you.” He pulled my body flush against his with a smile. “For saying yes. For wearing those jeans tonight.”
I laughed, desperate for another kiss. I raised my mouth to his and the kiss went on and on until my body was so overheated with desire that I shook with it. “I wish I could invite you in tonight.”
“Me too.” He pressed another hard, hot kiss to my lips before he took a step back. “Feel free to make a middle-of-the-night booty call if the desire gets too strong.”
“Yeah?”
Ryan nodded. “Hell yeah, as long as you can stay quiet. Very quiet.”
My body shivered at the look in his eyes and I took a step back. “I might take you up on that, Ryan. Soon.”